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Tuesday, February 19, 2013

NASA Loses Communication With International Space Station

HOUSTON, Texas -- The International Space
Station experienced a loss of communication with the ground at approximately 9:45 a.m. EST this morning, according to NASA.

At that
time, flight controllers in Houston were updating the software onboard
the station’s flight computers when one of the station’s data relay
systems malfunctioned.

The primary computer that controls critical
station functions defaulted to a backup computer, but was not allowing
the station to communicate with NASA’s Tracking and Data Relay
Satellites (TDRS).

The TDRS system consists of a
constellation of geosynchronous satellites and associated ground systems
and operates as a bent pipe communications relay system.

NASA said that Mission Control Houston was able to communicate with the
crew as the space station flew over Russian ground stations before 11:00
a.m. EST and instructed the crew to connect a backup computer to begin
the process of restoring communications.

Expedition 34 Commander Kevin
Ford reported that the station’s status was fine and that the crew was
doing well.

UPDATE: NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston announced that communications have been restored with the space station effective 12:34 PM Eastern Standard Time.